Why Forecast?
Forecasting provides important information to guide collectors to the best stands for that crop year. Many of the species in our forests produce bumper seed crops providing the best seed for storage and germination. These bumper crops come in intervals and tend to follow a pattern. Knowing the history of the species and watching for bumper seed crop signs will aid in determining the potential seed crop.
Some influences that affect forecasting are flowering habits, intervals of the seed production and climatic conditions.
The flower-seed relationship is a very important factor to the forecasting process. Female flowers are the cone or fruit producing flower and the male flower is the pollinating flower.
When flowers are unisexual or imperfect, the male and female flowers may both occur on the same tree. This is called monoecious.
If male and female flowers occur on different trees, it is called dioecious.
The ideal conditions for a good cone crop is when the flower has both functional stamens (male) and pistals (female) in each flower. (Figure 1).
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Figure 1 - Female flower |
Every seed bearing tree and shrub has an irregular crop production from year to year. A pattern begins to form. Forecasting a bumper crop is easier to do once the pattern is known.
Climatic conditions vary from year to year. For example, rainfall, temperature, light and wind can either enhance or restrain the process of seed crop production.
How to Forecast
Forecasting is done when the cones or fruit begin to appear several weeks after the flowering stage. Most conifers can be forecasted from the last week of June to the first week of July.
The Pine family takes two years to develop cones. This allows a forecast for the current year cone crop and a forecast for the following year.
The size of the cone or the seed crop is very important. This will aid in determining the seed yields, quality, and the collection costs. It also helps in determining when the species has a bumper crop, especially for those species that produce on a periodic basis.
A manual has been published for a more in depth description on forecasting and collection of seed. Contact the Ontario Tree Seed Facility to acquire a copy of A Seed Manual for Ontario.
Collection Time Frames
For more detailed information, contact the Ontario Tree Seed Facility.
